Improvement in locks for hand-cuffs



nicht hm HORACE H. CHENEY, OEEAST SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

Letters Patent No. 113,499, dated April 11, 1871.

IMPRovEMENT IN Locks Fon HANn-cuFFs.

The Schedule referred to-in these 'Letters Patentand making part of the same.

To whom 'it lmay concern Be it known that I, HORACE H. CHENEY, of East Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Mich igan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hand-Cuffs; and I 'do declare that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, lreference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon and being a part of this specica'tion, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a'hand-cuii open;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the locking parts;

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation ofthe rotating latchbol t;

Figure 4 is `an enlarged'perspective view of the same;

Figure 5 is an enlargedplan ofthe spring; and

Figure 6 is anenlarged perspective view ofthe key. Like letters indicate like parts in each gure.

This invention has for,l its object the construction of self-adjusting hand-cutis in such a manner that. they cannot be picked or unlocked except by the proper key; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the locking parts and the method of operating the same, as more ullyfhereinafter set forth. v

In the drawing- A A represent the segments or shackles of a hand cuil' hinged together, the former terminating in a squared head, a, and the latter in va socket, b, to receive the head c.

On the interior surface of the inner or under plate of the socket b is formed a series of ratchet notches c. Through'the top plate of the socket are several small key-holes d. Near the end ofthe head a a vertical hole is drilled through it. A longitudinal hole is drilled from the end of the head backward through the first hole, extendingsome ways back of it. In the bottom oi' this hole is a spiral spring, e, on which rests a small stud, f, whose head is thus forced out into thevertical hole in the head a. '1u the vertical hole a rotating latch-bolt, g, figs-3 and 4, is inserted, its oblique point projecting through the inner end ot' the opening. This bolt is kept in place and pressed inward by a spring, h, recessed in and secured to the upper surface of the head a. The' stud f bears against the bolt y, and, when the latter is so turned as to present either of its flattened surfaces to the stud, it cannot be turned except upon the application of a key to the slot in its head,'the form of which is fully shown in iig. 5, consisting of a central socket and a radial slot.

The hole at the extremity of' thehead a should be closed by a proper screw after the spring e and stud f are in place.

The spring his slotted over the bolt g to admit the key to thetop thereof in its locked or unlocked position.

The bolt, when the Obliquity of its end is presented to the sockets or ratchets c, readily engages` with the latter7 and cannot be withdrawn until turned in the other direction; in this position the slot or" a key-hole, d, is coincident withthe radial slot in the head of the bolt. To lockthe shackles together, insert the key B in the head of the bolt and turn yit as above described; withdraw the key and insert the head a into the socket b; as it enters the end of the bol-t is forced upward until it comes to a notch, c, when the spring It forces it to enter it, which completes the locking process. The circumference of the cul can, of course, he `reduced by causing thehead to enter further into the-socket and the bolt to engage with other notches. To unlock the shackles, thekey inustbc inserted in the proper key-hole, when it will strike against the solid portion rof the bolt-head; by turning the key hallway around, its blade or projection may enter the radial slot in said bolt-head; and then, by turninghalf a revolution, the oblique end ot' the holt is presented to the square shoulders of the sockets or notches c, when the segments may be drawn apart.

It will readily be seeuthat the bolt cannot be turned by shaking, jarring, or pounding on the shacklcs nor picked by akey not having a leaf or ward of such shape as to tit the bolt-slot, and so placed on the shaft of the key as to turn with the bolt under the spring.

IVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The construction and arrangement of the bolt g, spring h, stud f, and spring e in the head a, of the shackle-segment A, the segment A' provided with a socket, l), at its end, having ratchet notches c and key-holes d formed therein, as described, said shacklesegments being hinged together and arranged to be operated by means of thekey B, all substantially as herein described.

HORACE H. -CHENEY.

Witnesses:

H. E. EBnRrs, MYRON H. CHURCH. 

